Our Development Year 2009-2011 is about to end. This will bring to a close a very exciting, to say the least, and productive period for our fraternal organization. Exciting because of the numerous challenges we tackled along the way and the unprecedented triumphs and successes that followed. Problems and challenges do happen in any organization, which is a fact of life we have to face. How you confront these challenges and solve these problems will determine what kind of a fraternal organization we really are. Ipinagmamalaki ko mga kapatid, hindi tayo umatras sa mga problemang ibinato sa atin ng tadhana, taas nuo nating hinarap ang mga ito at ipinakita natin sa buong mundo ang pagkakaisa at lakas ng ating mahal na kapatirang Alpha Phi Omega!<\/p>\n
Allow me, brothers and sisters, to summarize the accomplishments made during the Development Year 2009-2011.<\/p>\n
*APO HELPED IN THE ELECTION OF VICE-PRESIDENT JEJOMAR C. BINAY*<\/p>\n
Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, sa malawak na karanasan ng ating kapatiran, ang buong ka-APO-han ay nagkaisa sa pagtulong sa isang kapatid para sa kanyang kandidatura. Alpha Phi Omega played an important role in the wide coalition of supporters that campaigned during the May 2010 national election for a beloved brother which assured the eventual election of our Honorable Jejomar Cabauatan Binay as the Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines. Brod Jojo acknowledged our help and thanked our fraternal organization in national media. This single act of gratitude from a brother brought so much prestige to the whole Alpha Phi Omega. However, let us keep our humility on this new found popularity because the more reason that we should be exercising our guiding principles of Leadership, Friendship and Service. Mayroon pang mga susunod na mga laban na kinakailangan nating ipakitang muli an gating pagkakaisa at lakas.<\/p>\n
It is also important to note that almost 170 brothers and sisters were elected as members of Congress and officers of Local Government Units in the provincial, city and municipality level. This further proof of members dedication to our fourth-fold of drvice – “Service to the nation as a fully participating citizen.”<\/p>\n
*STRONG FINANCIALS*<\/p>\n
Our Organization continues to enjoy strong financial performance. According to our latest audited financial statement of March 31, 2011, we have current assets of almost P5.4 Million, P2.2 Million of which are in Cash In Banks. This is primarily due to increases in collected Membership Dues, Chapter \/ Alumni Dues, Donations and Fundraising Projects. Continued improvement in the collection of biennial dues and chapter dues was also realized. The number of members in good standing had increased from the previous development year. We are expecting almost 8,000 members had renewed their IDs and these contributed to almost PHP 4.0 Million to our organization’s coffers. I kept on repeating my dream, if only 50% (or 20,000) of our total members in our database with IDs religiously pay their obligations to the organization, that translate to PHP 10 Million in funds that can be used by your organization to fund the various programs of service we had adopted. Libre naman ang mangarap di ba?<\/p>\n
*INSTITUTIONALIZED SERVICE PROJECTS*<\/p>\n
We had continually prioritized the full implementation of our institutionalized service projects since we adopted the vision of “One APO-One Advocacy” for our beloved Alpha Phi Omega. In line with this standardization of service programs, we pursued the one brand of service in our organization with the launching of the “Adopt-a-Baranggay” Service Program. We started consolidating under one umbrella of service the projects that we had been doing over the years. The “Adopt-a-Baranggay” initially consists four fields of services.<\/p>\n
*Health Outreach Services* – Our organization is highly experienced in the giving of medical, dental and optical care for our economically disadvantaged countrymen. Our organization is spending a lot of resources beyond what you can imagine. If we can quantify and equate a peso value on every medical mission performed by our basic organizational units, the medical services done by the whole organization can easily reach 500 million pesos a year.<\/p>\n
Put a value on the doctor’s consultations, dentist’s services, surgeon\u2019s fees, etc. plus the amount of medicines we distribute for free, these will equate to a value of services rendered and medicines distributed to easily from 500,000.00 to 1,000,000.00 pesos per mission. We have more than 500 alumni associations and collegiate chapters nationwide and abroad, each of them doing just one mission per year will bring you a staggering figure of 500 million! Nobody looks into it that way though, because us being a service organization just do service without expecting anything in return. Ganyan ang mga tunay na APO, serbisyong mula sa puso.<\/p>\n
*Pre-school Education* – Thru the initiative of various alumni associations, particularly Samahan ng APO sa Cainta (SAPOC), APO Learning Centers were established to serve the pre-schoolers of indigent families and given free schooling at their early age. Poor children are in a great disadvantage when they enter primary school since they can not afford pre-school education. Children are taught the 3Rs, Reading, wRiting and Rithmetic in theses learning centers. At present there are several other such centers being provided by AA’s in Angono, Rizal and San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. Several other groups are in various planning stages to have their own centers in their community. The Executive Council in turn are in full support for these efforts.<\/p>\n
*Livelihood Programs* – Studies were already made and roll-out of this all important component of the Adopt-a-Barangay program are now ready for full implementation. Pending approval of the proposed MOAs from various government agencies and NGO’s involved, more details of these livelihood program will disseminated to our members for full implementation. Micro-financing of these livelihood programs is being arranged.<\/p>\n
Community Scouting – The APO-BSP Balik Scouting Program has been revitalized by the new Scouting Commission headed by PNP Tony Dimaano as Chairman. Thru their partnership with the Boy scout of the Philippines, they are tasked to establish community – based scouting thru Bro Roy Tamani’s Membership Expansion Committee of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines. This will open the doors of the world of scouting to the out-of-school youths in our communities.<\/p>\n
*OTHER INSTITUTIONALIZED SERVICE PROJECTS*<\/p>\n
There are numerous other projects that the organization had been involved in over the years. We had continued to implement these programs. We are very proud of our accomplishments in these areas.<\/p>\n
*APO-PNRC Bloodbank and Emergency Response*<\/p>\n
Hundreds of lives were saved by the blood that we had collected in our various blood drives. We continue to be one the biggest donor of this precious life-saving substance in the country. We had incorporated the requirement of this service project beforea new member is issued a new ID as per our provisions in the new APO Pldge Program. We call on all alumni associations and collegiate chapters to continue their support of this project.<\/p>\n
*TREES FOR PEACE*<\/p>\n
This program was started with a MOA signed by then DENR Angelo Reyes and National President Jimmy De Castro in mid 2006. Brother Ronnie De Veza of the Pontifical Pi chapter, had been appointed as the new chairman of the TREES FOR PEACE green program. He immediately called for a nationwide tree-planting activity whereby at least 10,000 trees were planted by our brods and sis nationwide. His committee had targeted a 1 million trees planted by August 2011. I believe this very doable for our organization with the current call of no less than President Aquino for 1 Billion trees planted and he released budget for the cost of the seedlings and care. We are looking towards the widening of partnerships with the various government agencies and other civic organizations to make this project another great success.<\/p>\n
*APO – Gawad Kalinga Partnership*<\/p>\n
Our “Exchange the Paddle to Shovel”, a program with Gawad Kalinga started with a MOA signed by GK’s Tony Meloto and National President Jimmy De Castro in early 2007, provided manpower to various GK build activities. More and more collegiate Chapters and Alumni Associations had adopted GK villages across the nation. APO’s partnership with Gawad Kalinga not only included the provision of the manpower component but some financial assistance. So far APO had donated a Health Center in Liloan, Leyte through the efforts of APOGLA\/ACNA, a Multi-purpose Hall in Albay by APO Qatar AA and a GK village in Palo, Leyte by APO Alpha Omicron AA. Among foreign based Alas that have contributed to this noble effort of building model communities is APO Australia AA which adopted and donated several houses in the St. James GK village in Paranaque. The APO Partnership with the Philippine Society of Japan Nagoya Chapter, thru the efforts of sister Susan De Ono Laset, produced another GK Village of 30 houses in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.<\/p>\n
Our organization’s efforts to help the country’s shelter problems is given a big boost with the recent appointment of our brother Vice President Binay had been appointed President NoyNoy as the “housing czar” of the country as chairman of the HUDCC, Housing Urban Development Coordinating Council. We can expect more programs to be implemented by the organization in this sector thru the initiative and help of brother VP.<\/p>\n
*YES for PEACE – Bayanihan para sa Kapayapaan.*<\/p>\n
Spearheaded by APO Phils as far back as 1988 has been reinvigorated and redirected by its Lead Organizer brodther Ernie Alcanzare. The Philippine Postal Corporation, Boy Scout of the Philippines and the Department of Education has reconfirmed their support to the campaign. We are looking forward for the full cooperation of our memberships for the final realization of our nations’ dream of long lasting peace.<\/p>\n
*APO Pledge Program -100% No Hazing Policy*<\/p>\n
We had gained some headway in the full implementation of this program since its approval in the General Assembly of the Tagaytay Convention of 2007. Although our organization is not yet 100% Hazing-free, the chapters that had totally eliminated physical initiation practice had increased. Our organization had spent hundreds of thousands of pesos for the dissemination of information, training and printing of APP Manuals during the last 4 years. Once again we look forward to eradicating these barbaric acts in our organization in the very near future.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, there had been reports of irregularities committed by some of our members in accepting new applicants or pledgees in our fraternal organization. Pledgees accepted even without enrollment in the schools, abbreviated versions of the APP, rituals being conducted by chapters on supposed brothers not enrolled in their schools, spouses of members being ritualized without going thru the process, the same with their children etc. Your National Leadership acted swiftly on these complaints that resulted to the immediate issuance of preventive suspensions by the SAC to those allegedly involved. Let me assure you brothers and sisters, membership to APO IS NOT FOR SALE! It has never been and will never be!<\/p>\n
Let us all respect the sanctity of our pledgeship program. Let us be very vigilant to police our own ranks to protect our time honored process. Uulitin ko po hindi pinagbibili ang membership sa APO. Walang shortcut sa pagiging APO.<\/p>\n
*Alumni and Collegiate Congresses*<\/p>\n
We started the practice of conducting separate Alumni Congress and Collegiate Congress in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Hundreds of brethren participated in the important events. Outputs from both congress editions had shown the dedication and diversity of talents within our organization.<\/p>\n
*Executive Council and Board of Directors*<\/p>\n
The difficult job of a National President was made easier because of the hard working members of the Executive Council and the Board of Directors. They acted in unison and cooperated with each other on every matter that they handled. I would like to take this opportunity to profusely thank my colleagues in the Executive Council and the Board of Directors, for the precious time and effort they had spent in the administering of the different national programs and policies of our fraternal organization. Their dedication to serve our beloved Alpha Phi Omega is unquestionable. Most of them dug deep into their own pockets just to fulfill the mandates they are obligated to perform for our membership. May I ask all the members of the Council and the Board present today to please stand-up. Brothers and sisters, these are true leaders who believe in and guided by our principles of Leadership, Friendship and Service. Let us all give them a big round of applause.<\/p>\n
*Changing of the Guards (Constitutional Commissions)*<\/p>\n
During the last two years, most of the terms of office of the different members of the Constitutional Commissions ended. The National Leadership was tasked to appoint qualified members who are qualified and ready to serve. With this new crop of commissioners we are very optimistic that they will be able to match the stellar performance of their predecessors. Our appreciation goes to the former chairmen and members of their Constitutional Commissions, who did their share of serving our organization during their terms of office. Please allow me to mention the Past Chairmen who had served offices well, brod Boy Lopez- Commission on Membership, brod Roy Tamani- Scouting Commission, brod Romy Ripalda-Ways and Means Commmision and brod Chato Marinas- International Council of Alpha Phi Omega or ICAPO.<\/p>\n
Likewise, we would like to convey our great appreciation to the new commissioners who had stepped up to the plate when called upon to serve our fraternity. Let me at least acknowledge their Chairmen as the list of members is too long ; brod Egay Llarena of the Commission on Membership, brod Tony Dimaano of the Scouting Commission, brod Judge Bote Bautista of the Commission on Elections, brod JR Bautista of the Ways and Means Commission, brod Buddy Maniquis of the Commission on Audit and last but not the least, brod Lester Arevalo of the ICAPO or International Council of Alpha Phi Omega.<\/p>\n
*SAC\/RAC*<\/p>\n
I would also like to extend our full appreciation to the members of the SAC, Supreme Adjudicatory Council, for their impartial and objective decisions on matters referred to them. Adjudicator General brod Atty. Luis Paredes also went beyond his call duty and gave unselfishly important legal advice whenever the Executive Council and Board of Directors seek them. He is fast to inhibit himself on matters that have a possibility of being heard in his Council. A big thank you for all the members of the SAC and RAC, the judiciary branch of government of our organization.<\/p>\n
*CONCLUSION*<\/p>\n
Our fraternal organization continues to be strong. Our membership emanates from all the cross-section of our society. We came from all walks of life, Rich and poor, old and young, Christian and Muslims, etc. all are welcome to be members of APO. In this diversity we draw our strength. Strength that are guided by our principles of Leadership, Friendship and Service<\/p>\n
Mabuhay ang Alpha Phi Omega!!!<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
As delivered in the General Assembly of the 26th National Biennial Convention, In Cagayan De Oro City, May 28, 2011 By Brod Mel V. Adriano, National President DY 2007-2009-2011.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Our Development Year 2009-2011 is about to end. This will bring to a close a very exciting, to say the least, and productive period for our fraternal organization. Exciting because of the numerous challenges we tackled along the way and the unprecedented triumphs and successes that followed. Problems and challenges do happen in any organization, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[191],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-message-from-the-national-president"],"yoast_head":"\n